YouYou Xue crashed while on autopilot (aka Model 3 Road Trip)

[shonline]

i don't understand why people are so triggered to even the suggestion of renaming autopilot. if it's just a name change and the underlying tech is still the same, would you still be opposed. or if it wasn't even called autopilot in the first place, would you still be mad?

Couple things here.

First, I am 51, not a millennial and I and not a snowflake, nor have I ever been triggered. Why? Because I get “responsibilities”

Second, I also wa a pilot and understand what “auto” pilot really means. How did I achieve this amazing knowledge? I read the documentation on the planes I flew and then exercised that aforementioned “responsibility”.

I suggest all of my fellow Tels owners do the same. Including you if you are one. Actually - those of us eager early adopters already do... but I can see lots of issues with the masses getting 3s expecting their usual entitlement.

 

[aronth5]

Tesla really ought to rename Autopilot. Just gives the wrong connotation. Sure, Elon and some others think it's analogous to airplane autopilot, but a car is a different beast. In a split second, one could be going from the middle of the lane to dying by hitting an object.

Call it Driver Assist.

Or Driver Assist AYOR. (AYOR is "at your own risk")

I bet if it's called Driver Assist AYOR, we wouldn't as many headlines about Autopilot accidents and if and when the system failed, it would be as big of a deal.

Agree completely. The airplane autopilot analogy just doesn't fit which has been pointed out many times before. If there were other planes right next to you, right in front of you and right behind you some ready to exit, slow down or speed up at any moment would the current airplane autopilot software be adequate. Of course not.

As a fairly new owner of a Model 3 I have been very surprised how many people assume the car is fully self driving when we all know that is not true.
When I ask them why they believe it is fully self driving more times then not they refer to the name "autopilot". When I explain what it can and cannot do they immediately understand driver assist is a much better name.
After all Tesla refers to it as "autosteer" in the setup not "autopilot"

 

[EfficientWatts]

Couple things here.

First, I am 51, not a millennial and I and not a snowflake, nor have I ever been triggered. Why? Because I get “responsibilities”

Second, I also wa a pilot and understand what “auto” pilot really means. How did I achieve this amazing knowledge? I read the documentation on the planes I flew and then exercised that aforementioned “responsibility”.

I suggest all of my fellow Tels owners do the same. Including you if you are one. Actually - those of us eager early adopters already do... but I can see lots of issues with the masses getting 3s expecting their usual entitlement.

i think where we diverge is that not everyone is like you in going off and reading the manual. thus perhaps we should take more precaution on unlocking usage of autopilot. forcing the end user to read up before using the system could be a good start.

beyond that with regards to the name, i would say that the name has partial responsibility. your average joe thinks that autopilot = automatic driving/flying. in reality we know this to not be the case, but joe sixpack thinks otherwise.

if we had a product called "totally safe for work" and it actually turns out to not be safe for work, i would say the company making that product may at least be partially liable for the resulting fallout. this is a silly example but it tries to get my point across.

i would love to have a polling company do a poll and ask them what they think the term autopilot means.

 

[2012MS85]

The crash was indeed avoidable. Tragic? Not so much. Only machinery was killed/injured.

Tragic whenever a beautiful Tesla is needlessly lost

 

[Pkmmte]

i think where we diverge is that not everyone is like you in going off and reading the manual. thus perhaps we should take more precaution on unlocking usage of autopilot. forcing the end user to read up before using the system could be a good start.

beyond that with regards to the name, i would say that the name has partial responsibility. your average joe thinks that autopilot = automatic driving/flying. in reality we know this to not be the case, but joe sixpack thinks otherwise.

if we had a product called "totally safe for work" and it actually turns out to not be safe for work, i would say the company making that product may at least be partially liable for the resulting fallout. this is a silly example but it tries to get my point across.

i would love to have a polling company do a poll and ask them what they think the term autopilot means.

Should we also stop referring to cars as automobiles?

 

[EfficientWatts]

Should we also stop referring to cars as automobiles?

sorry that is a false equivalency. here i am not pulling out the word auto, i'm taking the word as a whole, "autopilot". i know in the past we did highlight just the word auto and that was not the be argument for my side.

 

[mongo]

i don't understand why people are so triggered to even the suggestion of renaming autopilot. if it's just a name change and the underlying tech is still the same, would you still be opposed. or if it wasn't even called autopilot in the first place, would you still be mad?


and oh so predictable, the downvotes come in... bring it on! 2x yay!

To paraphrase Shakespeare (from the original Klingon)

What's in a name?
Tis not thy name that is thy enemy
For what we call Autopilot by any other name would drive as straight .
And would be wrongly called self-driving just as frequently.

The Key Differences Between Tesla Autopilot and Other Self-Driving Cars You Need to Know About

Driver killed in Tesla self-driving car crash ignored warnings, NTSB reports

Tesla's Self-Driving Autopilot Involved in Another Deadly Crash

Tesla chief defends self-driving cars after new crash

Tesla unveils new self-driving car

Tesla is not the one calling EAP self driving...

 

[dhanson865]

Is this the same guy?

View attachment 304258

Yes in fact that is the same guy.

I just wanted to say that in case your question wasn't rhetorical and/or anyone else wasn't sure.

 

[Edibeler]

Maybe he was eating another meal?

 

[Joe F]

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

People here postulate “Autopilot” has the connotation that the car fully drives itself, and owners never read the documentation, nor the on-screen warnings to the contrary. I’d suggest that would be a believe held by someone who does not own a Tesla and has no basis of knowledge to comprehend otherwise.

To suggest people who plunk down big bucks for a Tesla are not going to read about the features, if for any reason to learn how to use them, is incapable of grasping the concept that it is not an autonomous vehicle is foolish.

Understanding however does not guarantee some will not do foolish things behind the wheel, sadly for the rest of us.

EDIT: Mongo beat me to it I see.

 

[shonline]

i think where we diverge is that not everyone is like you in going off and reading the manual. thus perhaps we should take more precaution on unlocking usage of autopilot. forcing the end user to read up before using the system could be a good start.

beyond that with regards to the name, i would say that the name has partial responsibility. your average joe thinks that autopilot = automatic driving/flying. in reality we know this to not be the case, but joe sixpack thinks otherwise.

if we had a product called "totally safe for work" and it actually turns out to not be safe for work, i would say the company making that product may at least be partially liable for the resulting fallout. this is a silly example but it tries to get my point across.

i would love to have a polling company do a poll and ask them what they think the term autopilot means.

Oh I think this is definitely where we diverge : “i think where we diverge is that not everyone is like you in going off and reading the manual”

Good lord friend, is this really our lowest common denominator? Wow.

I’ve got 45k on my S, and I will bet 40k are on AP1 and it is an amazing system. I learned it, and it’s quirks and limitations and use both to enhance my long distance driving. I know when it usually hiccups, and watch for those situations. It is an assistant to me. Not a replacement OF me.

If the masses are unable to master this simple task, then perhaps the name is not the issue. And, we then have far larger issues that we think.

 

[shonline]

Should we also stop referring to cars as automobiles?

Manual Mobiles!

 

[Unpilot]

The guy was going to get himself killed...so far AP has saved him.
I'm sure with enough time he will be able to finish the job.

 

[MP3Mike]

No.

What if it was called ProPilot?

 

[Dogwhistle]

Couple things here.

First, I am 51, not a millennial and I and not a snowflake, nor have I ever been triggered. Why? Because I get “responsibilities”

Second, I also wa a pilot and understand what “auto” pilot really means. How did I achieve this amazing knowledge? I read the documentation on the planes I flew and then exercised that aforementioned “responsibility”.

I suggest all of my fellow Tels owners do the same. Including you if you are one. Actually - those of us eager early adopters already do... but I can see lots of issues with the masses getting 3s expecting their usual entitlement.

We also received an extensive amount of classroom and practical training with the aircraft’s automation before using it operationally, in addition to “reading the book”. Tesla is woefully inadequate in the education department. It’s amazing how many Youtube videos there are of people using AP in their newly delivered Model 3s, and obviously have no idea how it works or what it’s supposed to do, other than they are supposed to push the stalk down several times. 10 minutes of each delivery should be devoted to discussing AP, especially its limitations.

 

[Edibeler]

I agree with the need for training and understanding of the risks associated with employing unfamiliar technology.

 

[cwerdna]

Is this the same guy?

View attachment 304258

Seems like it. Video is at

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=853393658165438

which I was able to find under Tesla Model 3 Road Trip by searching for Yuma. Tesla Model 3 Road Trip is where I can see posts about his accident, road trip, etc.

 

[TaoJones]

What if it was called... DriverAssist... ?!

And lo... verily upon the land, a great clarity ensued.

Eh - back to reality.

So over the weekend I met a few more Tesla owners - all of whom had or had just ordered ye olde steel grey aka midnight silver cars. Not to be confused with the original dolphin grey. One fellow ordered a chariot for his aging father - to help him with his driving.

I cringed.

Safer chariot, check. Can't roll over an X in practical use.

But AP (remember, the E is silent yet) as an aid for elderly drivers? Hail no. All it would take is one episode of acceleration around a curve toward a red light with stationary traffic and that would be that.

There is an opportunity here for voluntary community outreach by every gallery and every owners club - of course, optimum use of those resources would require a simple and consistent yet effective message for new and potential owners. A message that goes well beyond RTFM. Perhaps identification of the top 3-5 scenarios encountered on the highway as well as in town (yes, on surface streets, because until they're geofenced out of usable existence, people are going to use AP thereon), and discussion thereof would constitute a good start.

Educating people with regard to the strengths and weaknesses of TACC and AS would be a good voluntary first step - especially before it becomes a mandated requirement. Hey, it could, and perhaps should happen *twitch*. Not because regulation is by default a good thing - but because a better educated populace is a safer populace, and if you can't count on people to do it themselves...

 

[MXWing]

I have seriously considered writing a guide to autopilot usage but one of the challenges is behavior can change from release to release.

I'll list two bullets though as it will save lives if it is heeded:

* Until Tesla pays your insurance and is listed as the insured party, control your car like you were responsible (which you are)

* When AP appears to exhibit non standard and potentially dangerous behavior, do not continue to test it over and over and over and over and over and over again until you die, leave your wife a widow, and your children as orphans. (Reference: Tesla Model X Mountain View Crash)

 

[xav-]

I have had my 3 since March 29... and we have nearly 4,000 miles on it. I believe about 2,500 - 3,000 of those miles were driven on autopilot. We use it pretty much all the time on the freeway.

We are new owners and have no prior autopilot experience. Overall I am very impressed by the system. The lane centering system in particular is very good, so good that it’s actually easy to get comfortable and forget to put your hands on the steering wheel. Accidents like these remind us that keeping both hands on the steering wheel is critical.

The main issue in my opinion is phantom braking. The car will from time to time apply sudden braking for no apparent reason. That is extremely annoying and makes autopilot unsafe to use when a vehicle is tailgating you or a truck is behind you. As a work around I always keep my foot on the accelerator, always ready to override in no time.